Between the Scenes
by yabookreader96
Summary: Little missing moments/one-shots from the show that serve to further develop the characters and/or plot. These scenes take place between the scenes of certain episodes. I hope you enjoy!
1. BTS 1: Jackie Finds a Date

**Author's Note:** This story will consist of a series of mini one-shots that take place during certain episodes of That '70s Show. These one-shots/scenes may serve to further characterization, make sense of a messy plot line, or just be a little something extra that I thought of and wanted to share. Either way, it could be considered like a cut scene from the episode, but will be read like a book and narrated in first person from the character of interest. With each entry I will add a little 'Set-Up' to explain the reason for the one-shot, tell who's narrating and tell what episode (and during the part of that episode) that it takes place in.

* * *

 **Set-Up:** In the episode Prom Night (1.19), Jackie tells Hyde that she realized that she didn't need Kelso to go to prom. However, the next scene with them at the prom shows Jackie moping over the fact that she's not at the prom with Kelso, even as she dances with Hyde. It's understandable. Jackie is still pretty young and even though she broke up with him, she still believes that Kelso is her soul mate even though he took Pam Macy to the prom. Still, I wish we could've seen a bit more of the self-empowered and inspired Jackie Burkhart we got to see with Hyde earlier in the episode. So from that stems this scene with Jackie and Donna. It would take place before Eric and Donna left the prom and before Hyde helped Jackie and Kelso get back together.

* * *

"Jackie?" comes a voice from my left.

I turn in the direction of the voice to find a very confused red head approaching me. Donna.

"You found a date?" Donna smiles. "And a dress."

"Uh-huh," I can't help but return her smile as I smooth out my dress. Unlike Donna's simple sky blue chiffon folds, I'd gone all out with the pink and lace that made me feel like a princess.

"Well, where is he?" Donna pushes.

I point a gloved finger toward the photo setup at the front of the room. "He's taking a picture with Fez right now," I say slowly without taking my eyes off of Donna, eagerly anticipating her reaction.

I watch as her eyes shift from mine to the front of the gym. Her easygoing smile immediately turns into a look of confusion before very slowly transforming into one of shock as she realizes who, in fact, my date was.

"Hyde?" Donna's mouth forms a perfect 'o' as she snaps her head back to me. "Your date is Hyde?" the disbelief in her voice is almost palpable.

"Yes," I say firmly, holding my head up high.

"How on earth did you get Hyde to take you to prom?" Donna's voice went up an octave.

"Well, I," but then I quickly clamp my lips shut.

I glance back over to where Hyde and Fez were now waiting for their picture to develop. Hyde definitely wouldn't like the details of how we ended up here together being revealed. And between our friends, it would spread like wildfire. Hyde had done me a favor by taking me to his prom. The least I could do was keep the details private.

Returning Donna's gaze, I give her a polite smile then proceed to shrug my shoulders.

"Jackie," Donna groans, grabbing my arms and shaking me back and forth.

On second thought, it w _as_ Donna. It wasn't like it was Eric or Fez asking, both of which who would have capitalized on using this information to burn Hyde. Plus, if Donna didn't stop shaking me, my perfectly styled hair would get ruined.

"Okay, okay. Donna stop. You're ruining my hair," I wrestle out of her vise-like grip. I don't say anything for a long moment, mostly because I'm not sure of what to say, but when I see Donna reach forward again, I blurt the first thing that comes to mind. "I took your advice."

"What?" she backs off.

"You know, you told me to ask Michael. But he asked Pam Macy," I can't keep the acid from my voice when I say her name. "So I asked Hyde."

Donna shook her head as she tried to understand. "You mean, you asked Hyde to the prom and he said _yes_?"

"Not exactly," I start. "I tried asking him, but when that didn't work, I basically made him ask me," I nod.

Donna shakes her head, smiling ruefully. Hyde was on his way back over, so Donna took this as her cue to leave. "Jackie, you're incredible," she sighs before turning to head back to her table.

Hyde is back at my side now, and I give him a vivacious smile before calling after my redheaded friend. "Oh, Donna. I know."


	2. BTS 2: Donna's Stories

**Set-Up:** At the end of A New Hope (1.20), Donna runs off after fighting with Eric, terribly upset that Eric doesn't trust or respect her. However, by the next episode, its as though this fight never happened. I feel really bad for Donna in this episode; all she wants is for a friend to respect her and take interest in something she loves and works hard on: he writing. So, in an effort to give this to Donna, and to resolve the fight between her and Eric, I give you this scene between Donna and Jackie. Told through Donna's perspective, it takes place after Donna gets home after leaving Eric and David in the park, and right after Jackie has left Kelso in the Forman basement obsessing over Star Wars.

* * *

I see Jackie walking down the Forman driveway when I turn the corner, and immediately try to dodge out of her sight, not really in the mood for whatever it was she wanted to talk about.  
I wasn't quick enough. "Oh, Donna. Boy, am I glad to see you," Jackie runs to catch up with me. "Michael wants to see Star Wars _again_ , and I am just so sick and tired – "  
"Jackie, not now, okay?" I feel only slightly bad cutting her off.  
I can't see Jackie's face in the dark, but she immediately grows quiet. She is still, however, following me to my house, so I stop and turn to face her, searching my mind for an excuse to be left alone right now.  
"Donna, are you okay?" Jackie says when she is able to make out my face in the darkness. "What happened?"  
I don't know what makes me decide to tell her, but I do. I start with David Millbank and tell her every detail of the night, all the way up to where I yelled at Eric in the park and left him there.  
"I just wish someone would actually show genuine interest in my stories, you know?" I sigh, concluding my story.  
"I guess I get that," Jackie shifts next to me. Halfway through my story we had moved to the patio bench in my backyard. "Hey," Jackie says suddenly, her face alight. "Do you want me to read your stories?"  
To say I was taken aback would have been an understatement. "Really?"  
"Well, all Michael wants to do is go see Star Wars, so…why not?" Jackie shrugs.  
"Thanks, Jackie," I say, still a bit surprised as we moved into my house and up to my room.  
"And you know, Donna. For what its worth, I don't think it was you Eric didn't trust, but David Millbank," Jackie adds.  
Jackie's behavior right now was strange, to say the least. But even more strange was that she actually made sense. Eric had never trusted David, even as little kids he had beat him up that one time. And I wasn't ready to forgive him, but I decided then that I would try to talk to him about it tomorrow. For now though, at least I had a friend to share my stories with.


	3. BTS 3: The Pageant Prize

**Set Up:** In episode 2.12, Eric's Stash, Jackie enters the Miss Dairy Princess Pageant with Kelso as her coach. There's one thing about this scenario that strikes me every time I watch this episode. And that is the expression on Jackie's face after Donna asks if the winner gets a scholarship and Kelso says "Who cares? College is for ugly girls that can't get modeling contracts." Jackie looks horrified by his comment, so I was quick to jump on that. I, and I know many others (at least in the fanfic T7S world) believe that Jackie is very academically intelligent. Evidence of this is that she does her homework on Saturdays (1.10) and is very involved with her school's events, whether it be cheerleading, the dances, etc. Now, I know that cheerleaders have the 'beauty but no brains' reputation, but at my high school you had to have at least a B average to participate in any sport teams (including cheerleading) and the only ones invested in school sponsored events were the students with good grades. So, with that long-winded explanation, those are just a few of the reasons that I also believe Jackie to be a smart cookie. So in this scene, set after the episode and after the pageant, I give you a piece between Donna and Jackie (I know, these two _again_ ) narrated from Jackie, in which I expand upon that expression Jackie makes after Kelso's comment.

* * *

I walk over to the television set in my room and turn down the volume when Donna walks in later that night. I'm still dressed in my sheer white chiffon gown from the pageant, having been too tired to change after I got home. But when Donna called at ten thirty asking if she could come hang out for a while, I shoved the fatigue aside so I could now focus my attention on my friend.

"What's up?" I ask Donna as she slumps down next to me on my bed, her hand moving to her throat.

Her neutral expression wavers and a small grin begins to creep onto her mouth. "So you know how I got Eric that watch for our anniversary?"

"Yes," I start. "Wait- what'd he get you?"

Donna pulls her hand away from her throat revealing a delicate gold necklace hanging over her collarbone.

"It's not real gold or real diamonds, but it's still beautiful and-"

"Romantic," I finish for her. I lean forward and take the diamond pendant between my fingers.

I feel a guilty twinge of jealously roil in my stomach underneath the joy I feel for my friend. But it was just that I desperately wanted to receive such a preciously romantic and thoughtful gift from Michael.

"It doesn't matter that it's not real," I assure Donna, realizing that maybe my jealously could maybe work to help her. "I'd die if Michael bothered to even give me jewelry. You know what he gave me for our one year anniversary?" I pause for emphasis. "A rubber chicken."

"What?" A small giggle escapes between Donna's lips.

"Yes," I can't help it either as a surprising burst of laughter comes out of my own mouth. For me, it's more an abettor of anger though. "You know, one of those ones that we used in gym class in third grade? That squeaks when you squeeze it?"

"I know exactly what you're talking about," Donna falls back laughing.

"It's not funny!" I slap her arm playfully.

"Yeah. But...you know Kelso, he's just immature."

I open my mouth to refute her, but then an earlier conversation from today pops in my head. _College is for ugly girls that can't get modeling contracts_ , Michael had said, rather petulantly.

"You know there _was_ a scholarship with the pageant," I say suddenly, desperately needing Donna to know. "And while I mostly wanted to win to lord the title over the other girls, part of me wanted that scholarship too."

Donna nods her head. "So you didn't win?"

"No. Some skank from Kenosha named Cynthia won. Which is ridiculous because she had a unibrow!"

"How dare she?" Donna mocks.

"Yeah. I guess I didn't need that scholarship anyways. Not when Daddy promised to pay for my college tuition," I reflect.

Donna just smiles before shaking her head ruefully. We talk for a little while longer, until we're both yawning and seeing through half closed eyes.

When Donna decides to go home, I waste no time in pulling off my dress which had slowly become scratchy and uncomfortable during her visit. I hang it up and shove it in the way back of my closet, eager to erase its memory from my mind.

In fact, there was a lot about today I wanted to forget. Unfortunately, it all couldn't be crammed in my closet to forget.

* * *

 **End Note:** So, in case anyone was wondering, the rubber chicken _is_ a reference from a comment Jackie makes in early season 5. Also, I just wanted to point out something I didn't include in the set up, and that is that the show never specifies if Eric buys Donna that necklace after he gets his money back. It is my belief that he would, which is why I included Donna having the necklace in this.


	4. BTS 4: My Friends

**Set-Up:** In episode 2.21, 'Kelso's Serenade,' we get to see Jackie and Hyde hang out together. However, what's missing is how they end up alone in the basement together in the first place. So, I decided to write a Between the Scenes that attempts to explain this. Its narrated first from Hyde's point of view and the second part from Jackie's point of view, because this scene also tries to explain what exactly was going through each of their minds and causing them to act the way they do (a perspective often lost through the television medium). Lastly, I attempt to explain why exactly Eric made plans with Kelso and Fez, but not Hyde. It takes place after Red kicks Donna and Jackie off his front porch and after the Circle when Eric, Fez and Kelso leave for The Hub.

* * *

From my room I am able to hear as someone - or multiple someones - amble down the cement stairs.

"Jackie," I hear Donna groan as the door wails open.

"No, I'm serious," comes her response. "My mom goes on cruises all the time. All you have to do is break up with Eric," Jackie's voice continues, oblivious to Donna's complaint.

"I'm not breaking up with Eric just so you can feel better about your break up with Kelso," Donna says, fed up.

Before Forman left with Kelso and Fez, Kelso hadn't quit whining about missing Jackie. I'd thought Kelso had been overreacting. After all, it _was_ Jackie; the girl was obsessed with him. But hearing the two girls talking about it now, I am genuinely surprised to find that Jackie was actually going through with the break up thing.

I hated myself for caring.

I tune them out and look for something to do. My gaze lands on the small hamper in the corner near my bed. Without so much as another thought, I grab my laundry and slip over to the washer as casually as possible.

"Hey, Hyde. Is Eric with Kelso and Fez?" Donna asks when she sees me.

The two have stopped arguing about Forman and Kelso and are instead seated on the couch watching a re-run of 'Gilligan's Island'.

"Yeah. They went to The Hub," I respond, wondering why Donna was so upset with Eric. What did he do this time?

I pile all my clothes into the washing machine, add the detergent and softener, then settle into my chair.

Jackie looks bored, but Donna is bouncing her knee up and down nervously. She doesn't say anything for a long while, though. It's not until I've moved my clothes from the washer to the dryer does she speak again.

"I wonder if I should join him... I mean, he _did_ invite me," Donna worries on her nails.

Jackie pulls her attention from the TV and focuses again on Donna. "I still say break up with him. Right, Hyde?"

I'm momentarily startled and practically stumble into my seat. "Excuse me?"

"Eric turned down Donna to hang out with Kelso and Fez," Jackie explains, seeming happy to have something to talk about again.

Donna rolls her eyes. "For the thousandth time, I'm not going to break up with him. I mean, yeah he was an inconsiderate ass, but...seriously _,_ Jackie."

Jackie shrugs. "I said it before and I'll say it again," she pauses and glances back and forth between the two of us a few times. "Breaking up with Michael was the smartest thing I ever did."

I suddenly flashback to just a few days ago when Jackie used almost these same exact words.

And last time she had barreled into me. She had sobbed into my shoulder for a good hour.

But now there was no trace of that broken and defeated girl in those dark eyes. She was beaming as she talked excitedly again about going on a cruise with Donna.

I have to admire that strength. But still I wonder about that broken girl who had clung to me as though I was the only thing keeping her upright. I can't help but wonder why she had chosen me.

"I think I'll just go to The Hub and put Eric in his place," Donna resolves, nodding to herself and pulling me back to reality. "Sorry to crush your cruise ship dreams, Jackie."

Jackie shrugs, looking bored again, as Donna stands and exits out the door.

I'm saved from having to talk to Jackie when immediately after the door groans closed behind Donna, the chime rings on the dryer.

I'm out of my chair in a flash and spin around to the dryer.

Jackie mercifully doesn't say anything for a long while as she watches the TV. If she were anybody else, I would've kicked them out so I could have the basement to myself, like I had planned. But something stops me from dismissing Jackie.

I don't realize that she has joined me at the deep freeze, though, until she speaks up. "Why aren't you with Eric and the guys at The Hub?"

"What?"

"Well, Donna said Eric made plans to hang out with Michael and Fez," her voice is muffled as she filters through the deep freeze. After a moment she comes up empty-handed. "But not you."

Jackie hops up on the deep freeze and I can feel her intense gaze burning a hole in my shoulder as I try focusing on the clothes I was folding.

The truth was, I hadn't wanted to hang out with them. Kelso was obnoxious with his sniffling and driveling about Jackie. And I'd had enough of it. Kelso did this to himself and his pity-party crap was starting to get on my nerves.

Plus, on their way out, Kelso had grabbed the guitar, convinced that a song would fix his wreck of a relationship. I wasn't about to spend my day with _that_.

But I couldn't exactly tell Jackie any of that. She'd see this as me taking her side and there was no way I wanted anyone getting that idea.

"Wasn't invited," is all I end up mumbling.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"You know it's weird," I think out loud. "But I thought after me and Michael broke up, I wouldn't want to hang out here anymore."

But just hanging out in the basement with Hyde was...simple. Easy. And somehow, Michael's friends had become my friends. So even though we were broken up, I'd been hanging out with his friends - _my friends_ \- just as much as before.

Yep, that's what we were hoping," Hyde turns around to grab more from the dryer.

I roll my eyes and ignore him. "But I think if I left, you'd really miss me. Right?"

Part of me just hoped I was important enough to someone to warrant being missed, even if it was just scruffy, burnout Hyde. And so far everyone else I had thought cared about me had proven otherwise: Michael cheated on me. My parents were never around. My cheer team became just that after I started hanging out with Michael's crowd.

Hyde avoids the question, and starts mumbling something about sympathy and support in a bad break up.

I narrow my eyes at him. "I don't know," he gives up.

Maybe he didn't know...but, he was here for me right now when no one else was. So I take a chance.

"Right. So let's go to the mall," I suggest.

"No. I meant friends like Donna or...not me."

I roll my eyes again. In case he forgot, Donna was too busy being angry at her boyfriend who hadn't even cheated on her.

Plus, Hyde was here now. Alone, doing laundry. Suddenly it occurs to me that maybe he was just as alone as I was.

"But I noticed you're alone a lot," I slide of the freezer and follow Hyde as he carries his clean, folded clothes to his room. "And I'm alone a lot. So let's be alone together."

Hyde sets his clothes on top of his bureau then turns to me and crosses his arms. I was blocking his exit.

"Look, we're alone right now," I smile.

Hyde sighs, exasperated, and slips expertly past me.

"That's not really a very good reason for us to - "

"Wait," I pursue him and stop him from completing that sentence. "Let's go to Sizzler."

Okay, so maybe the mall wasn't his thing. But maybe, just maybe, food could persuade him.

"They've got a salad bar. It's all you can eat," I keep pushing. He was no longer immediately shutting me down, so I had to be gaining ground here. "Plus, five different colors of Jell-O."

Still nothing. I pull the last trick out of my hat. "I'll buy."

That does it. Hyde nods. "You've been through a rough time," then he steps toward the door. "Let's go, kid."

I spin on my heel, elated. Because now I knew, I knew Hyde felt bad for me. He was that sympathetic support he spoke of just before. Hyde was on my side. His agreeing to spend time with me said it all.

"What?" Hyde says when he notices the smug expression on my face.

"Nothing," I say. I shut the basement door behind us.


	5. BTS 5: Making Sense of Things

**Set-Up:** In the episode "Holy Crap!" (2.23) Jackie is given some…strange characterization, to say the least. Up until this point, she has been very resolute about her break-up with Kelso and not wanting to get back together with him (and she holds a good facade about it in front of him when she does miss him). But in this episode she displays a blatant obsession with him that came out of nowhere with the growth of his 'beard.' Then, in the next episode, "Red Fired Up" (2.24), she is back to the strong-willed Jackie from before. In this Between the Scenes, I do my best to explain Jackie's sudden changes of heart. In episode 2.24, Kelso talks with Donna about missing Jackie, and Donna tells him with one hundred percent certainty that Jackie is done with him for good. So somewhere along the lines, Jackie did something to convince Donna that the girl from episode 2.23 is gone, and the girl who is done with Kelso for good is back. Now, in the beginning of episode 2.24, Jackie shows up in the basement looking for Donna. We never do find out why Jackie wants to see Donna, but I believe that maybe that is when Jackie re-convinces Donna of her break-up with Kelso. So with that being said, this Between the Scenes is yet another Jackie and Donna piece (from Jackie's POV), and takes place in episode 2.24, after Jackie heads up from the basement to find Donna and we find out what exactly it is that they talk about.

* * *

I needed to find Donna.

And I knew going in the basement meant I might see Michael, but I knew there had to be someone in the basement (because there usually _was_ ) and it was the fastest way to find Donna.

I take a deep breath and shove open the door to the basement. Before I can take in any of my surroundings, Michael gets right up in my face. I try peering behind him and thankfully find Hyde and Fez. Maybe they would help me.

"Hey, Jackie," he says.

There's a pause, and that's when I realize that that is all he has. Pathetic. "Look, Michael," I set my hands on my hips. "Why don't you save the sweet-talk for the next idiot who's dumb enough to date you."

I slip past him, only to run into Fez. And from the eager look on his face, I knew he had no intention of helping me either.

"You know Jackie," he waves his lollipop in the air. I cross my arms and raise my eyebrows, already unimpressed. "If you're in the market for a new lover, they say 'once you go Fez, you never go back'." The smug look on his face is far more obnoxious than it is endearing. "In my language, that rhymes," he concludes.

I've heard it all. I roll my eyes, not bothering to dignify that with a response. I turn my attention to Hyde. I knew at least he would give me a straight answer.

"Okay. Uh, where's Donna?" I blurt.

"She's upstairs with Forman," Hyde says.

I immediately make a beeline for the stairs, eager to get away from Michael and Fez. I am about to thank Hyde, but then I notice Michael starting to follow me.

"And don't follow me Michael, we've broken up and I mean it!"

He starts to mumble some surely lame excuse, but he has stopped following me and I'm at the top of the stairs, so I enter the Forman kitchen without so much as a glance back.

Hyde said she came upstairs with Eric, although that doesn't exactly tell me where Donna is. There is no one in the kitchen, but as I step forward to move into the living room, I see Eric standing outside in the driveway, his bright red PriceMart smock being what catches my attention.

I slide open the door and find Donna leaning against the garage, worriedly watching Eric.

"What's wrong?" I ask as I take a step in her direction.

"Eric has to go to work with Red who seems to be in an unpleasant mood today," she says in a quiet voice. "And I'm wondering if I'll ever see my boyfriend again," she says jokingly.

"Hey, Donna. Can I talk to you?" I change the subject, having already tired of this one.

"Yeah, I guess. Just as soon as Eric leaves," she says distractedly.

I nod my head then take a step back and wait patiently as Red and Eric climb in the Toyota and drive off to work. Only then does Donna turn to me. I gesture to the patio chairs and we both sit down.

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I guess I didn't really know what I wanted to say. I just needed to talk about my break-up with Michael and make someone believe I was actually taking this seriously. And recently...well, I'd done a terrible job of convincing people of that, especially Donna.

"I just want to thank you," I say the first thing that comes to mind. "For helping me the other day when I was kind of throwing myself all over Michael," I hate saying it but I know I have to.

"I just don't understand why you acted that way," Donna shrugs.

"It's just…Michael was my first boyfriend, making this my first break-up," I try to explain. "And it really sucks. So I started thinking that maybe just getting back together with him would ease the pain. And him growing that stupid beard was all the excuse I needed."

"Jackie!" Donna exclaims, reaching forward and violently starts shaking my shoulders.

I pull out of her grasp. "No. No, but I'm thanking you because you stopped me from taking him back right away. So when I finally did go to make-up with him, he'd already shaved off that beard," I shiver at the memory.

Donna's expression grows ill. "I don't get it."

"I mean," I sigh, searching desperately for the right words. "He had nicked the skin so many times while shaving that he was a bloody, tissue-faced mess when I saw him. And it was as though his shaving the beard was a sign that I really wasn't meant to take him back."

"Well, I could've told you that, Jackie," Donna says unimpressed.

"Well anyways, I just wanted to thank you. Because I am so over Michael and his sorry butt," I cross my arms.

"So, you're like really done with him?" Donna seems surprised.

And just then, I see it in her expression. She really believes that Michael and I are over. And if she can see me without Michael, then I can see me without Michael too. It was possible for me not to take him back. And for the first time since our break-up, I feel a genuine smile creep onto my lips.

I nod my head. "Yeah. I think I am."


	6. BTS 6: She Won

**Set-Up:** In the episode 'Moon Over Point Place' (2.26), Jackie goes to visit Hyde at the FotoHut. But then she gets into an argument with Leo and Hyde leaves, so she never gets to talk to him. The very next scene is a Circle with Hyde, Jackie, Donna and Laurie in the basement. Because I have an unhealthy obsession interest in Jackie and Hyde, I decided to explore how they get from the FotoHut in one scene, to the Circle in the next. So, this BTS obviously takes place between these two scenes, and is narrated from Hyde's point of view.

* * *

"Steven, Steven!"

 _Damn it._

I had just reached my car, and yet I hadn't been fast enough. I rest my fingers on the handle, then slowly pivot around to face Jackie who is running after me at full speed.

"What?"

"Where are you going?" She says breathlessly once she's standing no more than two feet away from me.

I take half a step back, uncomfortably aware of how close she is. "Home."

"Oh," she nods her head and rocks back on her heels. "Okay," she stares at the ground.

I wait a beat, but she says nothing else. I turn back to the Camino, tightening my grip on the handle.

The FotoHut stands in a small, empty, desolate lot. The pavement is cracked and weeds have sprouted in the narrow slits. Faint yellow chips of paint sprinkle the broken ground from a long ago parking lot. The El Camino stands out in this wretched scenery. And yet there is something missing…

"Jackie, where is your car?" I realize.

"Oh, I walked here," she says pointedly.

I whip around to face her again. "You _walked_ here?"  
"Yep."  
I narrow my eyes in scrutiny as I assess her tone. It was rather suspicious, as was the pleasant grin on her face.

 _She knew exactly what she was doing_ , I realize. She walked here, knowing I'd drive her back to the Forman's where her car was when I left. And damn it, she was right.

I didn't want to give her any more reasons to like me, but it wasn't like I could just leave her here in this place. Sure, it was just the sleepy town of Point Place, and Leo was right inside that small square building…but to just drive off and let her walk to the same exact place I was headed? I couldn't worm my way out of this one.

"Just get in the car, Jackie," I mumble, waving my arm dismissively.

"What?" she says innocently.

"You heard me," I grumble.

"Well, Steven…if you insist," she shrugs, then darts over to the passenger side and climbs in.

With one more parting glance behind me, I swallow, then lower myself into the driver's seat.

"Thank you, Steven," Jackie says before I've even put the key in the ignition.

I mumble some incoherent response. And when I glance up at her, she's still grinning. Only now it's triumphant; victorious.

She won. I know she won. She knows I know she won.

I pull out of the parking lot and expel a heavy sigh. "I need the Circle."


	7. BTS 7: Sneaking In

**Author's Note:** Long time, no scenes, huh? My apologies - I've had computer issues, which have yet to be resolved. However I've been in the mood to write something for That '70s Show and I'm suffering from some writers block on my multi chapter T7S story I've been working on. But without a computer, that's been pretty hard, so this tiny BTS comes to you straight from my smartphone (hence why it's short - typing on my phone is a nightmare).

* * *

 **Set-Up:** At the end of Reefer Madness (3.1) Hyde tells Jackie to get over her little crush on him and this whole situation (i.e. juvy, almost getting kicked out, being grounded) was all her fault. Jackie remains unfazed, going on about how Hyde is such a liar and proceeding to pull him into a giant bear hug with her vice-like grip. Then in Red Sees Red (3.2) we see Jackie hanging out in the basement with Hyde and Fez. And while Hyde is certainly annoyed with her, he no longer seems to be angry. I figure Jackie must've said something to him beforehand to apologize in some way to keep away any bad blood. Hence, we have this scene in the basement, before Red and Kitty do their bed checks in 3.2. Also, assume Jackie arrives before Fez does. Lastly, this BTS is narrated from Jackie's POV.

* * *

"Jackie, you can't be here," Steven's voice says from behind me.

I close my eyes. I had worried it would come to this point; the point where Steven would kick me out of his life for good.

With my eyes still closed I hear Steven's footsteps come around the side of the couch and I know he's going to sit in his chair. So when I open my eyes, they land directly on him. Surprisingly, he looks back.

"Look, Steven. I came here to apologize," I sit up straight. "And I swear, I'll leave as soon as I'm done. But I really am sorry."

I blink.

Steven crosses his arms. He says nothing.

I should've known he wouldn't make this easy.

I clear my throat, choosing my words carefully before speaking them. "I never meant for you to get in trouble. I just wanted you to think...I don't know anymore. But now all I care about is making sure you don't think I'm some horrible person...or something. And I should've told the Forman's it was my bag right away when they were going to kick you out. And I have no excuse, but I really am sorry," I finish, breathless.

"Okay," Steven says simply. He lifts his feet to the coffee table and turns his attention to the TV.

I watch him, dumbfounded. Okay? That was his response? What did that mean? Was I forgiven? Or did he just want me as far away as possible?

"Well, I'll be leaving then," I grab my purse and stand up so fast I get a head rush.

"Jackie," Steven says his voice strained. "Look, the reason you can't be here is because the Forman's won't allow it."

I turn to face him. I bring my hand to my forehead, still feeling a bit dizzy. "Wha-" I start. Was that supposed to mean something? Did he actually want me here, then? Or...at least not mind me being here?

Damn Steven and his vague Zen.

"Just, sit down Jackie," Steven gives in. "But if Red or Kitty come down here you have to leave," he warns.

A triumphant grins spreads across my lips. Just as I'm about to say something though, Fez bursts through the doors.

"Hello," Fez saunters in. "What's going on?"

Steven looks at Fez for a moment, an expression of disbelief on his face. Then he leans back in his chair, glancing up the stairs to the kitchen. "Nothing man," he says to Fez. "Have a seat."


End file.
